1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a method, system, and computer program product for managing thermal conditions in a data processing system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, system, and computer program product for dynamic management of thermal loads in a data processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data processing environments often include multiple data processing systems. The data processing systems each have a need for electrical power for performing their respective functions. Heat is a byproduct of consuming electrical power to perform these functions.
Similarly, a data processing system includes several components that consume electricity and contribute in performing the data processing system's functions. A component's performance, life-span, reliability, and many other attributes are directly or indirectly related to the operating temperature of the component.
The heat produced in a data processing system is the thermal load exerted by the data processing system on a cooling system. Different components contribute different amounts of heat to the thermal load. A thermal load is typically determined by measuring the temperatures at the component level, at the data processing system level, or both. Depending on the thermal load existing at a given time and location in the data processing system, cooling is applied to the data processing system.
Cooling systems also consume electrical power. Reduction in the electrical power consumed by a data processing system is desirable. One way to reduce the electrical power consumption is to reduce the power consumed by the cooling systems. However, the reduction in the electrical power consumption of a cooling system should allow a data processing system's components to continue performing within certain temperature thresholds.